Myths About Beer You Can Stop Believing

There are some things people have said over and over about beer to the point you might even believe them, but many of the stereotypical things you've heard about beer are probably myths. Beer is fairly misunderstood by many, so learning what is true and what isn't all comes down to educating yourself and being a little more open-minded about your drinking habits.

One of the biggest myths about beer is that the drink should be served very cold — or even over ice. The reason you hear beer should be served ice-cold is actually because big breweries make beer that doesn't necessarily taste great, and they want you to numb (or minimize) your palate. This ultimately lessens the taste of the beer. So, if you do this when you go to drink a well-crafted beer, the actual notes will be obscured, and nobody wants that (via Thrillist).

For a long time, beer was thought to be better from a bottle, but that's just another myth. Cans actually protect beer best from light and oxygen, according to Business Insider. "The same ultraviolet rays that give you a farmer's tan also harm unprotected beer. To paraphrase Baz Luhrmann's epic 'The Sunscreen Song' — ladies and gentlemen of the internet, drink canned beer. If I could offer you only one tip for the future, cans would be it," says Michael Arp, the writer behind The Blue Collar Foodie.

Some of the seemingly biggest myths about beer are specifically about dark beer. It appears most people believe dark beer is going to be very alcoholic, taste strong, and feel heavy to drink. However, this is completely false. No two beers are created equal, and that includes dark beers. Chances are, you probably just haven't found a dark beer you like.

"Dark is not a flavor," says Michael Agnew, the owner of A Perfect Pint. "A dark color tells you only that some amount of kilned or roasted malt was used. It reveals next to nothing about the beer's flavor profile. It says nothing about the amount of hop character, bitterness, sweetness, or alcohol. It says little about the types of malt flavors or the presence/absence of fruity and spicy yeast products."

Agnew also explains that not all dark beers are heavy by giving the example of a Guinness Draught, which is only 4 percent alcohol with a light body, paired with a low-calorie count. Another beer enthusiast, Zach Mack, owner of ABC Beer Co., believes that most IPAs are likely twice as strong as an oatmeal stout.

So, be open-minded when exploring the world of beer. It is incredibly varied, and there are often beers that reflect the overall profile of many other drinks out there you already know and love.